Naam Tamilar Katchi facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Naam Tamilar Katchi நாம் தமிழர் கட்சி
Abbreviation	N.T.K. / நா.த.க.
Leader	Senthamizhan Seeman
Founder	S. P. Adithanar
Founded	1958
Headquarters	Ravanan Kudil, 8, Maruthuvamanai Salai, Senthil Nagar, Porur, Chennai – 600116, Tamil Nadu, India.
Youth wing	Muthukumar Youth Wing
Women's wing	Senkodi Women's Wing
Ideology	Tamil nationalism Ultranationalism Regionalism Secularism Environmentalism
Political position	Left-wing
Colours	Red
ECI Status	State Party
Seats in Lok Sabha	0 / 543
Seats in Rajya Sabha	0 / 245
Seats in Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly	0 / 234
Seats in Puducherry Legislative Assembly	0 / 30
Number of states and union territories in government	0 / 31
Election symbol

Party flag

Website
www.naamtamilar.org
Elections

Naam Tamilar Katchi (which means "We are Tamils Party" in Tamil; NTK) is a political party in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the Puducherry Union territory. This party focuses on promoting the interests and identity of the Tamil people.

History of the Naam Tamilar Katchi

Seeman, the party's chief co-ordinator

The "We Tamils" party was first started in 1958 by S. P. Adithanar. His goal was to create a separate Tamil state. This state would include Tamil-speaking areas from both India and Sri Lanka. The party's main office was called "Tamiḻaṉ Illam," meaning "The Home of the Tamilian."

In 1960, the party held protests across the state. They wanted Madras (now Tamil Nadu) to become a separate country. Adithanar was arrested for organizing these protests. The party also helped change the state's name from Madras State to Tamil Nadu.

In 1967, the "We Tamils" party joined forces with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) for an election. Four members from the "We Tamils" party won seats, including Adithanar. Later that year, the party officially merged with the DMK.

Years later, on May 18, 2010, the Naam Tamilar Katchi party was restarted in Madurai. This happened after the Sri Lankan Civil War ended. Seeman formed the new party, seeing it as a continuation of S. P. Adithanar's original idea. Seeman said the party would offer a different choice from other main political groups in Tamil Nadu. He also stated that helping to create an independent Tamil Eelam (a homeland for Tamils in Sri Lanka) was a key goal for the party and all Tamils.

Party Name and Emblem

The name "Naam Tamilar Katchi" means "We are Tamils Party." It highlights that the party focuses on Tamil identity, rather than caste or religion. The party believes that Tamils should govern Tamil-majority areas.

The NTK flag looks similar to the flag of Tamil Eelam. It features a tiger, which is a symbol of the ancient Chola kings. The tiger was also used by the Tamil Tigers. The flag was first shown in Thanjavur, an old capital city of the Cholas.

Party Beliefs

The Naam Tamilar Katchi believes that Tamil identity should be based mainly on language. They focus on uniting Tamils through their shared language.

Main Principles of the Party

The Naam Tamilar Katchi has many important principles:

They aim to help the Tamil people thrive and grow.
They believe the only way to solve the issues faced by Tamils in Sri Lanka is to create a separate Tamil Eelam state.
They fight for states to have more power and control over their own affairs.
They want the Tamil language to be used and respected everywhere.
They plan to create a fair economic system where everyone can benefit.
They want to make sure that people who don't own land can get a house or land.
They support scientific discoveries that are good for nature and promote technical education.
They work to bring together Tamils from all over the world to protect their rights.
They want to create a common Tamil government to reduce money differences.
They aim to end unfair treatment based on caste and religion.
They believe women should have equal chances and opportunities, as it is their right.
They want Tamil to be the main language for learning, teaching, and government work.
They will protect Tamil culture through media and arts.
They promise that a future Tamil government will not favor any religion.
They want a justice system that is fair and free from political influence or bribery.
They plan to create self-help groups to meet basic needs.
They want to share power and wealth more evenly among people.
They aim to stop private groups from unfairly taking profits and end illegal money markets.
They want to ensure all workers have the right to a good life.
They believe healthcare is a basic human right and should be available to everyone.
They will work to protect Tamils living in other states in India.
They want to boost cultural tourism and connect Tamils globally.
They support people's courts to investigate wrongdoings.
They will promote traditional Tamil martial arts like Silambam and Kalaripayattu.

Key Policies

Equal Opportunities for Women

The NTK strongly supports equal opportunities for women in all areas. While a law to reserve 33% of seats for women in national and state assemblies is still being discussed, NTK has already given 50% of seats to women in local elections. This is a much higher percentage than many other major parties.

NTK was also the first party in the state to have a transgender candidate. In 2017, Devi, a 33-year-old transgender person, ran for election against a very well-known politician. Even though she didn't win, this was an important step for including more diverse people in politics.

Water Sharing and Sand Mining

The party has held many protests to demand Tamil Nadu's fair share of water from rivers like the Kaveri River and dams like Mullaperiyar Dam. They have also spoken out against the illegal digging up of sand from riverbeds in the state.

Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) Privatization

Between 2011 and 2012, Tamil Nadu faced a big power shortage. During this time, the company that provides power, Neyveli Lignite Corporation, thought about selling parts of the company to private businesses. This caused protests from workers.

Naam Tamilar Katchi was against this idea. Seeman said that the company was not treating its Tamil workers fairly. He also pointed out that NLC was investing in other states while Tamil Nadu had a power shortage.

Law and Order

Seeman has spoken about the need for better law and order in the state. He has stated that the NTK is against violence of any kind. He said that any party members who break this rule would be punished.

Helping Refugees

Naam Tamilar Katchi has brought attention to the difficult situation of Sri Lankan Tamils who seek safety in India. They have highlighted the challenges these refugees face.

Ending the Death Penalty

NTK supports ending the death penalty in India completely. They have also asked for the release of prisoners who have been in jail for more than 10 years. The party also supported closing refugee camps where people were reportedly treated badly.

Getting Katchatheevu Island Back

Seeman believes that Katchatheevu is an Indian island and that it was wrong to give it to Sri Lanka. He has said that the island should be returned to India.

Tamil Leadership in Tamil Nadu

Seeman believes that the chief minister of Tamil Nadu should always be a Tamil person. The party's slogan says that while everyone has the right to live in Tamil Nadu, only a Tamil has the right to govern the state. This idea has led to discussions about what it means to be a Tamil.

Chennai–Salem Expressway Project

Naam Tamilar Katchi is against the plan to build a new highway called the Chennai-Salem Expressway. The party believes this project would harm the environment and allow illegal mining in the nearby hills. Seeman and his supporters were arrested for protesting against this project. The party also went to court, and the court stopped the government from taking land for the project.

Elections

2011 Tamil Nadu Assembly Election

The NTK led a campaign against the Indian National Congress in the 2011 state election. They protested against the Congress party's actions related to Tamils in Sri Lanka.

2016 Tamil Nadu Assembly Election

Naam Tamilar Katchi ran candidates in all 234 areas of Tamil Nadu and in Puducherry. They introduced all their candidates in Cuddalore. The party promotes equal rights and included candidates with disabilities. They were also the first party in Tamil Nadu to have a transgender candidate. The Election Commission gave them "twin candles" as their party symbol.

The NTK received 458,104 votes (1.1 percent) in the 2016 election. This was more votes than some older parties received.

2017 R. K. Nagar By-election

The NTK put forward K. Kalaikottudhayam as their candidate for the 2017 R. K. Nagar by-election. Seeman said that voters often pay more attention to party symbols than to the candidates themselves. He also criticized the election commission for not stopping unfair practices during the election.

The by-election was eventually held on December 21, 2017. The NTK finished fourth in this election.

2019 Indian General Election

Naam Tamilar Katchi ran candidates in all 39 areas of Tamil Nadu and in Puducherry for the 2019 national election. NTK was the first party to have 20 women candidates out of 40 total seats.

The NTK received a total of 1,645,185 votes across the state, which was about 3.909 percent of all votes.

2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly Election

Naam Tamilar Katchi ran candidates in all 234 areas in Tamil Nadu and 28 in Puducherry. The party again had an equal number of male and female candidates (117 women and 117 men in Tamil Nadu). Seeman announced his party's candidates in Chennai.

Electoral Performance

Lok Sabha Elections

Lok Sabha Elections
Year	Party leader	Seats won	Popular vote	Percentage of votes	Vote Swing	Outcome
Tamil Nadu
2019	Seeman	0 / 39	16,68,079	3.91%		Lost
2024	Seeman	0 / 39	35,60,485	8.19%	4.28%	Lost
Puducherry
2019	Seeman	0 / 1	22,857	2.89%		Lost
2024	Seeman	0 / 1	39,603	4.90%	2.01%	Lost

Legislative Assembly Elections

Year	Party leader	Seats won	Popular vote	Percentage of votes	Vote Swing	Outcome
Tamil Nadu
2016	Seeman	0 / 234	4,58,007	1.06%		Lost
2021	Seeman	0 / 234	30,67,458	6.89%	5.83%	Lost
Puducherry
2016	Seeman	0 / 1	3,888	0.47%		Lost
2021	Seeman	0 / 1	28,189	3.37%	2.9%	Lost